Heaven, Earth, Me

Their surroundings were honestly gorgeous. The place they were in was full of light from nearby stars and with many rogue planets orbiting around. The number of planets was truly extraordinary, all dancing in a complex orbital dance. Moreover, since Yasenia's gaze was able to detect a much broader light spectrum, the surroundings were full of colors created from the gasses that composed the nebula. 

At the center of this orbital dance between stars and planets was a gigantic scarlet star—so enormous that even where they currently were, they could feel the gravitational pull of the gargantuan celestial body. 

Yasenia could feel her energy recharging just by gliding around the area, and her Beast Cultivation was advancing. She wasn't even purposely cultivating; it was just the passive energy absorption her body had increasing and refining her Beast Core's quality. 

Cecile felt the situation in Yasenia's body clearly, and she couldn't help but smile, feeling happy for her lover. While she was a Moon Phoenix and had no problems with the environment, she was not able to take advantage of it. Yasenia commented. "Let's continue forward. While I feel that the path ahead is dangerous, it's not something impossible to do. High risk, high reward, right?"

Some leaders on the ship frowned. After all, they didn't really sign up to risk their lives so that someone else could get a treasure. Yasenia had been checking the ship with her spiritual sense and noticed their looks. She spoke softly but in a blunt manner. "I know some of you might feel this is not your problem. However, it is. Right now, you owe me the fact that you have left the birdcage that Distancia was. You are here entirely because of my generosity in taking others with me on this journey. So, if you want to stay cross-armed during whatever happens from now on, I won't blame you, but the second we detect a world that I can drop you at, you will leave my ship by your own feet or by force. Am I clear?"

Yasenia turned her massive dragon head back, gazing at everyone in the warship with her golden eyes. "Also, don't you dare tell me you gained that right because you helped me back in Distancia. By now, you all should understand that if I had wanted, I could've stomped the entire place to the ground with my own strength. I just wanted to achieve it as swiftly as possible and with the least number of deaths possible."

Everyone looked silently at the dragon while the maids observed everyone with sharpened eyes. If someone dared to do something suspicious, they were ready to strike.

Kali looked around and then sighed. "Yasenia, let's leave it. I can come back later when we are stronger. It's not like we will go to the upper heavens right away, right? Also, it's not impossible to come back down to get it."

Yasenia shook her head. "I understand that you want to be understanding, but as I said, there is no need to be." Then, she looked into the distance and began flapping her wings gently, using the Cosmic Energy to propel her body forward.

On the ship, one of the leaders patted Kali's shoulder with a smile. "Don't worry, Lady Kali. Lady Yasenia is being fair. Some of us are worried, and that's normal. However, that doesn't mean that we are cowards. We managed to reach the pinnacle of the world, even if it was a low-level world. That should tell you that our character is not simple."

Kali blinked and thought to herself. 'I am not worried about any of you. I am worried about my dragoness getting hurt!' 

Still, she answered with a smile. "Of course. Thank you for being understanding." Then she remembered something and placed a white pill on her hand, extending it forward. "Take it, sir."

The beast human took it with curiosity. "What is this, Lady Kali?"

Kali smiled. "An antidote. I have defensive poisons around my body, so when you touched me, some of those entered your body. Don't worry, though. As long as you take that pill, you'll be fine."

The beast human's lips twitched wildly. "I-I see…" He then swallowed the pill without hesitation.

Everyone who saw that exchange couldn't help but take a step away from the four-tailed fox. During these decades, Kali had an environment that any poison master would envy and would even kill to get: a constant stream of testing subjects who focused on Body Cultivation. 

The many people that Yasenia and her maids captured for Kali to practice and learn had pushed her knowledge of parasites and poisons even further than her alchemy level. 

While all of them were at the peak-level, Heaven-ranked Realm, about to break through into Transcendence, her parasite and poison knowledge just needed for her to increase her cultivation level before they did so.

Her level had surprised even Mirrory, who had praised Kali once before as a genius. 

Yasenia moved through space and approached the area, finally arriving at where Kali was feeling the signals from. The place was stunning, even for those who could not see as profoundly as Yasenia.

The surroundings were full of rings of dust, creating an edge to what they couldn't describe as anything other than a place of birth and destruction. 

At first glance, they could see thousands of worlds unnaturally suspended in the middle of space, many ripped open as if someone or something had taken a bite out of them. The number of smaller moons and asteroids was in the millions, the zone being complimented by four visible asteroid belts that seemingly divided the place into zones. 

The Forest Sky Empress muttered. "This place is surreal. How can something like this exist in nature?"

Coraline, who was hugging Ebirah from behind and resting her chin on her head, commented. "That place looks too dangerous. Look over there. I can see some Star Beasts fighting and creating giant explosions."

From where they were, they were unable to see the entirety of the place. Still, what they could see was enough to feel like a warning.

Tatyana frowned and asked. "Kali, is the feeling coming from the middle of this area?"

Kali shook her head. "Thankfully, it isn't." Then, she pointed toward the southeast region and commented. "It is coming from that area, more or less."

Yasenia heard her and flapped her wings, dragging the warship along with her and slowly circling around the area. It was enormous, so it took at least three days of flying before Yasenia was perfectly aligned with the location of the Natural Treasure.

Time in space passed quickly since there was no day and night cycle. For cultivators of their level, three days was nothing.

Kali was meditating at the bow of the ship to increase her senses. When she felt the presence clearly, she communicated. "Yasenia, if you now dive straight into the place, we should be able to bump into the Natural Treasure's shard."

"Understood."

The dragoness flew forward and increased her speed. The people on the warship thought that they would arrive in a few minutes. However, as they traveled, they couldn't help but blink. 

"It feels like we are not getting closer. Are you sure that you are advancing, Lady Yasenia?"

The dragoness answered with an amused tone. "Of course, I can feel the energy going through me. Look over there; an asteroid will pass by our side in a second."

They looked over, and indeed, as Yasenia said, an asteroid flew by their side at a terrifying speed. They were going at thousands of kilometers per second, and yet, due to the vastness of space, it felt like they were not getting closer.

The dragoness commented. "We'll take a while, but don't get distracted. The number of Star Beasts is getting increasingly larger, and my camouflage won't last much longer. This place has such deep energy that I can't meld with it as well as I can with others in the surroundings."

As they were advancing, they saw Yasenia turn her head to the right quite abruptly, and her lips arched menacingly. Alaia and Yasenia said simultaneously. 

"A Star Beast is approaching."

Tengliu couldn't help but exclaim. "Yasenia has the same detection range as this thing?"

Alaia shook her head. "I had it in my sight much earlier, but it started coming our way when Yasenia said it."

The dragoness asked. "How many other Star Beasts are around? They usually move in a flock. Also, what is their strength?"

Alaia answered formally. "Young Miss, this Star Beast is rogue. Its strength is at the peak of the fifth realm." 

The dragoness tilted her wings, and their trajectory curved as Yasenia flew straight toward the distant Star Beast. "All of you prepare long-ranged skills and release them forward when I tell you. Gu Chen, Ayanduin, your energy signals are too glaring and might attract trouble, so avoid attacking unless it is necessary."

The auras of the cultivators on the ship surged like a powerful volcano as elements of all kinds gathered around them.

Yasenia squinted, her gaze locked on the distant Star Beast. When their distance was relatively close, she gave the order. "Attack."

Whoom!

The hundreds of attacks crossed space and arched in a wide area, forcing the Star Beast to slow down and harden its body by gathering egregious amounts of Cosmic Energy.

Some of the attacks landed on it, creating explosions around the massive creature's body. However, the Star Beast didn't receive deep wounds. Its body, hardened by the Cosmic Energy, was incredibly resilient.

Seeing its strength, many on the ship felt their hearts tightened. Some even asked aloud. "Are you sure you want to continue charging forward, Lady Yasenia?"

Yasenia's own body suddenly started gathering Cosmic Energy, similar to the approaching Star Beast, and her aura skyrocketed. 

ROAR!

Her dragon roar exploded outward as her speed suddenly accelerated with the use of [Pegasus Gallop]. Then, the enormous dragon collided head-on with the similarly sized Star Beast.

BOOOM!

The collision was so brutal that if the warship hadn't been using formations to cushion the momentum and inertia transfer, they would've been shot out like a speeding meteor. 

The Dragon and quadrupedal beast-shaped Star Beast started going at each other at a melee range, trading blows with one another in a similarly matched combat.

The people on the ship looked stunned as the kilometric claws of the Star Beast landed on Yasenia's scales, but they produced rivers of sparks instead of penetrating them. 

The dragoness's body was currently so tough that even when their raw physical strength was similar, the other Star Beast was being helplessly pummeled by the dragon.

Yasenia punched, clawed, tail lashed, wing struck, and bit her opponent, blasting rivers of blood into space as she destroyed the Star Beast. 

The Star Beast's eyes changed from rage to fear very quickly as it understood that it had taken the fight to someone it shouldn't. However, before it could flee, Yasenia's tail grabbed its waist, and the dragoness used her claws to force open the Star Beast's mouth.

"[CELESTIAL DRAGON BREATH]!"

BOOOM!

The body of the Star Beast exploded into meat chunks as the dragon's Celestial Breath annihilated it inside out.

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